What World Netball does

World Netball, legally International Netball Federation Ltd., is the sole internationally recognised governing body for the sport of netball. Founded in 1960 (originally as the International Federation of Women's Basketball and Netball) and rebranded to its present name in 2021, the federation is incorporated as a not-for-profit private limited company headquartered at MediaCityUK in Salford, United Kingdom. It maintains governance over 74 National Netball Associations organised across five Regional Federations (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania), sets the Rules of Netball, runs the World Rankings system, and operates major international competitions including the Netball World Cup (since 1963), the Netball World Youth Cup, and the FAST5 Netball World Series. The federation also recognised men's participation through its inaugural Men's FAST5 Netball World Series in 2022 and is actively pursuing Olympic inclusion for Brisbane 2032.

The product and platform portfolio combines event IP, digital distribution, and member services. NetballPass, a digital OTT streaming platform launched in 2022 in partnership with Netball New Zealand, hosts livestreamed and on-demand coverage of World Cup Qualifiers, FAST5 events, the Netball World Cup, and (in non-exclusive markets) elite domestic leagues. Supporting products include the Rules of Netball mobile application, anti-doping and coaching/officiating resources, the Kendix World Rankings system, the World Netball Foundation charitable arm, and the Strategic Development Fund grant programme. Long-standing commercial anchors include Gilbert Netball as official ball supplier since 2005 and the Commonwealth Games Federation partnership since 2008.

Commercially, World Netball operates an event-and-rights-driven revenue model. Streams include IOC funding via ARISF recognition, title and official sponsorship (e.g., Vitality for NWC2023, Gilbert, KitQueen/Nike for officials kit), broadcast rights licensed through agencies such as SPORTFIVE (with Nine confirmed for NWC2027 in Australia), membership fees from the 74 National Associations, the Strategic Development Fund, and NetballPass consumer subscriptions at £9.99 GBP for international viewers in non-exclusive markets. The go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, leveraging the regional federations for grassroots implementation and the Olympic bid campaign ('Back the Bid') to expand global reach.

Name

World Netball

Legal name

International Netball Federation Ltd.

Website

https://netball.sport

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

World Netball is the internationally recognised governing body for netball, founded in 1960 and headquartered in Salford, UK. It governs 74 National Netball Associations across five regions, sets the Rules of Netball, runs the Netball World Cup and FAST5 World Series, and operates the NetballPass streaming platform while pursuing Olympic inclusion for Brisbane 2032.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Sports Federation

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)

akta.pro primary industry

Handball Leagues (MPAKAAAM)

Keywords

• International sports federation
• Netball governance services
• Sports event management
• Athletic rules development
• Sports development programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Salford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Commercial Rights: Sponsorship programme for events including title sponsors (e.g., Vitality for NWC2023) and official partners (Gilbert). Commercial vision developed to generate value and accelerate growth.
2. Broadcasting Rights: Television and digital broadcast rights sold for major events. SPORTFIVE handled media rights for NWC2023. NetballPass provides streaming in markets where exclusive broadcast deals not sold.
3. Membership Fees: National Netball Associations pay membership fees to be affiliated with World Netball. Benefits include access to development funding, kit and equipment, technical expertise, and international competition opportunities.
4. Strategic Development Fund: Funding programme for Member Associations to develop netball aligned with World Netball Strategy, supported by NWC legacy programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

World Netball is the international governing body for netball, serving 74 National Netball Association members worldwide. It sets the official Rules of Netball, organises premier international competitions such as the Netball World Cup, Netball World Youth Cup, FAST5 Netball World Series, and Men's FAST5 series, maintains the World Rankings System, and delivers development, coaching, anti-doping, and sustainability programmes.

Product overview

World Netball operates as an international governing body offering a portfolio of products and services spanning digital streaming (NetballPass), mobile applications (Rules of Netball App), educational resources, analytics systems (World Rankings Hub), compliance programmes (Anti-Doping), and grant funding (Strategic Development Fund). The organization also hosts major international events including the Netball World Cup, Netball World Youth Cup, and FAST5 Netball World Series, while supporting coach education, officiating development, and sustainability initiatives through its charitable foundation and advisory panels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Netball World Cup Premier international senior netball competition organised by World Netball, contested by qualifying national teams from across the world. Tickets and broadcast/streaming access are sold to consumers and rights holders; participation is via National Netball Associations.
• Netball World Youth Cup International youth netball competition organised by World Netball, providing age-grade representative teams from member national associations a global competition pathway.
• FAST5 Netball World Series International FAST5 (six-a-side, shortened-quarter) netball series organised by World Netball, with sister Men's FAST5 Netball World Series extending the format. Designed as a faster, more spectator-friendly format to broaden the sport's appeal.
• NetballPass World Netball's official over-the-top (OTT) streaming service that provides live and on-demand coverage of international competitions, available globally to fans on a subscription basis.
• Rules of Netball App Official mobile application delivering the authoritative Rules of Netball published by World Netball, kept current with the 2024 Edition. Used by players, coaches, umpires, and administrators globally.
• World Rankings System The official World Netball World Rankings System providing the international ranking of national teams, used for competition seeding and qualification.
• Strategic Development Fund Grant funding programme established from the legacy of the 2019 Netball World Cup Liverpool, distributing funds to support National Netball Associations' sport development priorities.
• World Netball Foundation Separate charitable foundation linked to World Netball that supports global netball development through fundraising, partnerships, and charitable initiatives.
• Anti-Doping Programme World Netball's clean sport programme aligned with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code, providing testing, education, and rules enforcement (the Anti-Doping Rules were published in September 2022) for athletes competing at international level.
• Coaching Advisory Panel Resources Coaching development resources and guidance produced by the World Netball Coaching Advisory Panel to support coaches and member associations' high-performance programmes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Netball World Cup 2023 reached 14.9 million live linear TV audience, more than double 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KitQueen in partnership with NikeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025World Netball announced new deal with KitQueen in partnership with Nike as the WN officials kit supplier. Officials first wore their new kit at the NWYC2025.
• The Sports ConsultancycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025World Netball and The Sports Consultancy (TSC) launched process to identify hosts for the Netball World Cup, a new World Netball event, and Men's Netball World Cup between 2028-2035.
• Netball AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025World Netball and Netball Australia launched Brisbane 2032 Olympic campaign together. Working with Brisbane 2032 Local Organising Committee and IOC to pursue Olympic inclusion.
• Net Zero GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024World Netball announced partnership with Net Zero Group and joined the United Nations in a bid to become Net Zero by 2040. Launched a Carbon Engagement Portal to support members in measuring and reducing emissions.
• Maitrayana Charity FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024World Netball Foundation launched inaugural partnership with Maitrayana Charity Foundation in India to benefit adolescent girls.
• Griffith UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024World Netball Foundation and Griffith University partnered on a joint mission to create social change.
• Netball New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Jointly launched digital OTT platform 'NetballPass' in 2022. Partnership hosted livestreams of all matches in Netball World Cup Qualifiers 2022, FAST5 World Series 2022 and 2023, and NWC2023 where broadcast rights had not been sold. Also hosts FAST5 Netball World Series 2022-2024.
• Peace and SportminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012World Netball and Peace and Sport joined together to introduce netball through 'Netball for Peace' project in Burundi. The project won a JAPPO Award in the Sports Humanitarian Category at the 2012 Africa International Sports Convention (CISA).
• Commonwealth Games FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The CGF has worked closely with World Netball since 2008 to grow and develop netball across the Africa Region. Partnership was significant in establishing foundations for first WN event in Africa – the Netball World Youth Cup 2017 in Botswana and Netball World Cup 2023 in South Africa. Netball is a core Commonwealth Games Sport since 1998.
• Gilbert NetballcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Gilbert provides the official World Netball ball for all international netball events including the Netball World Cup, Netball World Youth Cup, FAST5 Netball World Series, and Regional Championships worldwide. Leaders in sports ball engineering for over 180 years, Gilbert perfected the use of new synthetic technologies for the World Netball Official Ball. Gilbert kit is also becoming the first choice for netballers at all levels.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Tennis Federation (ITF): The ITF is the international governing body for tennis and a broader incumbent IF. While tennis has a different commercial profile, ITF offers benchmarking for IF governance, member association structures, and managing annual World Cup/Davis Cup-style events that span multiple regions.
• World Athletics: World Athletics is the international federation for athletics (track and field), a much larger and more established IF than World Netball. While not a direct match in scale, it offers benchmarking for IF governance, Olympic-aligned broadcast deals, and event portfolio strategy for federations seeking to elevate commercial value.
• World Aquatics: World Aquatics (formerly FINA) is the international federation for aquatic sports. As a larger, established IF with Olympic sport status, World Aquatics provides a benchmark for the operational scale and commercial potential of mid-to-large international sports federations, particularly regarding broadcast rights and event portfolio diversification.

Direct peers

• International Handball Federation (IHF): IHF is the international federation for handball, comparable to World Netball as an IF of similar scale with World Championships, regional member structure, and Olympic sport status. Provides benchmark for IF revenue scale, event operations, and IOC funding dynamics for a mid-sized international federation.
• World Rugby: World Rugby is the international governing body for rugby union, directly comparable to World Netball as an IF with similar governance structure, major quadrennial World Cup events, regional member associations, and IOC-recognized status. Highly relevant for benchmarking revenue models, broadcast deals, and event commercialization.
• International Basketball Federation (FIBA): FIBA is the international governing body for basketball and operates as a larger IF with comparable federation structure, FIBA Basketball World Cup, and Olympic sport status. Useful benchmark for understanding IF scale-up trajectories and broadcast economics at larger commercial scale.
• International Cricket Council (ICC): The ICC is the global governing body for cricket and a direct comparable IF, with strong Commonwealth market concentration similar to netball. ICC's Cricket World Cup and member-driven federation structure closely mirror World Netball's operating model, making it a useful benchmark for broadcast/sponsorship economics.
• International Hockey Federation (FIH): FIH is the international federation for field hockey, a closely comparable IF in scope and size. Like World Netball, FIH manages Hockey World Cups, has multiple regional member associations, and operates as a mid-sized international federation with similar Olympic-aligned ambitions and broadcast dynamics.
• Badminton World Federation (BWF): BWF is the international federation for badminton, a mid-sized IF comparable to World Netball in scope and revenue scale. Both are Olympic-recognized federations managing world championships and member-driven development programs across multiple regions.
• International Volleyball Federation (FIVB): FIVB governs volleyball globally and operates as an IF with comparable structure to World Netball: member-driven federation, World Championships, Olympic sport status, and broadcast-driven revenue. Useful benchmark for IF governance models and event commercialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WorldNetball_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@netballworldcup
• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialWorldNetball
• Instagraminstagram.com/worldnetball_
• TikToktiktok.com/@worldnetball
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-netball

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Netball